Adelaide player Eddie Betts has taken the position of small forward to a new level, according to premiership forward Cameron Mooney.
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Mooney, who played in premierships for Geelong and North Melbourne said Betts had mastered playing as a small forward to the extent where recruiters around Australia were on the lookout for similar types of players.
The Crows announced on Wednesday that Betts had signed a new three-year deal with the club, contracting him until the end of 2020.
"He's perfected being a small forward so much so that clubs are now specifically drafting Betts-type players to AFL lists," Mooney said. "And why not? Their impact on the game has been so dramatic and the role they play is vital.
"It's not an easy position to get on top of because the ball's not kicked to you, it's kicked to the tall forwards, so Betts and those type of players have got to crumb and crumb well to score.
"But his figures have just got better. He's led the way in being a small forward.
"Let's take Cyril Rioli, who, when Hawthorn played him up the ground, he wasn't as effective as he was within the 50 metre arc," Mooney said on SEN on Thursday.
Betts, who moved to Adelaide after 184 games at Carlton over nine years, has been a league leader for score assists and forward 50 tackles for a decade.
"Some teams desperately need a Betts," said Mooney. "I'm sure Richmond and Geelong would very much require that style of player. Sure the Cats have got Steven Motlop, but he plays a lot further up the ground because of his endurance.
"When you go back to the likes of Stephen Milne at St Kilda, he also managed to become a brilliant crumbing forward."
Betts said he was delighted with his contract extension.
"The club is in great shape and we have such a positive environment where everyone works really hard but also knows how to make it enjoyable as well," he said.
